Tennis elbow - resuming after cortisone...

[Gnobility]

A bit of background - 49 YO male, ~average shape for a retired desk jockey, 5' 11", 190 lbs...a little thick in the middle & thin on the ends.

A year ago I had my 3rd knee surgery - new ACL and microfracture for big Grade IV chondral defect. The knee is tight again, but the end of the femur has no cartilage left, except for the very thin layer of 'pseudo-cartilage' from the microfracture procedure. I can walk fine now, but won't chance running so as to not trash the pseudo-cartilage. I'll eind up with a total knee replacement eventually, but want to get as much time out of the microfracture procedure as possible.

After knee rehab I started a new home exercise routine with the objective of minimizing wear and tear on the bad knee - rather than grinding away for 30-40 minutes a day on our DA elliptical I started using a rowing machine and Airdyne most of the time (lower knee loadings), and started a 'circuit-style' weightlifting routine to get the aerobic benefit while lifting (I've got elevated cholesterol & the aforementioned spare tire)

Between the elliptical, rowing, Airdyne, push-day/pull-day circuit workouts, and lotsa time on a motorcycle I gave myself a wicked case of tennis elbow.

A 6-5-4-3-2-1 steriod pack & icing helped only slightly, so my doc then gave me a cortisone shot in the elbow. Within 60 hours I was pain-free for the first time in many months. Cortisone is magical stuff!

I had my two week follow-up with the doc today and was told I could resume exercising, taking it easy at first, and icing along with ibuprofen at the first sign of elbow pain.

Are there any preferred grips I can use when I start back on the weights? Are there a hand-forearm-elbow orientations I can use for

- lat pulldowns, overhead presses,
- dips, dumbell shrugs,
- curls, tricep pushdowns,
- dumbbell rows, benchpress

...that will minimize stress on my outer elbow at the tennis elbow location? I'm thinking about using some sort of weight belt or weighted vest for my lunges to avoid gripping dumbells any more than necessary

Are lighter weights & more reps better?

Is Super-slow easier on elbows?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks,

Gn

[UConnJulie]

The best grip is the one that doesn't hurt. Typically that will be the supinated grip ones ... ie chins versus pull ups; bicep curls versus hammer curls.

What you probably need to do is add in some stretching to the extensor tendons. Also don't lift heavier than you can grip. Grip is usually a failsafe to protect your shoulders.

Lunges etc use a barbell or a vest.

Ice after workouts. And stretch. Lots.

[rea1951]

"A 6-5-4-3-2-1 steriod pack & icing helped only slightly, so my doc then gave me a cortisone shot in the elbow. Within 60 hours I was pain-free for the first time in many months. Cortisone is magical stuff!"


Cortisone for tennis elbow, in my opinion, is fool's gold. Without rest and rehab, it will always come back, often worse than is was before the shot. The shot gets rid of the pain, and typically the sufferer resumes the activity that got her/him the condition in the first place. I know from unfortunate experience.

[PowerManDL]

Something that may be worth a shot is high-rep accentuated eccentric work

Basically get a light-ish weight and do something like a cable pushdown or tricep extension. Lower the weight slowly, at least a 2-4 count, and then use the other arm to raise it, shooting for 12-15 reps

Prevailing theory is that it helps to lay down extra connective tissue. It might hurt like hell while you're doing it, but it seems to help w/ the condition long-term.

Worth a shot, along w/ everything else.

[PowerManDL]

Shit this is an old thread

Stupid troll-ass bumper